HIV AIDS By: Chad Lee & Jason Graham

What type of virus is HIV? HIV is a lentivirus, and like all viruses of this type, it attacks the immune system. ‘Lentivirus’ literally means ‘slow virus’ because they take such a long time to produce any adverse effects in the body. Lentivirus is a part of a family of viruses called retrovirus.

What exactly does HIV/AIDS do to affect our body? HIV is a virus that uses the genetic material from our CD4 cells to make more copies of itself. The virus likes one particular cell in our immune system called a CD4 cell. When it uses the cell’s genetic material, it damages the CD4 cell making it unable to do its job in our immune system. The more of these CD4 cells that are damaged, the weaker your immune system gets. After a while, your immune system will become very weak and be unable to protect you from other illnesses and infections, thus making you sick. Basically, HIV doesn’t make you sick; it weakens your immune system, allowing other illnesses and infections to make you sick.

What does AIDS mean? Acquired – means you can get infected with it. I- Immune Deficiency – means a weakness in the body’s system that fights against diseases. S- Syndrome- means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

How do you get AIDS? You don’t actually “get” AIDS. You get infected with HIV, and later on, you might develop AIDS. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people.

Is there a cure for AIDS? There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but it can be treated.

How do I know if I have AIDS? You may suffer from serious weight loss & brain tumors. Some people may die within a few months. Others may live fairly normal lives for many years after acquiring aids.

More facts on HIV/AIDS Having sex with an HIV infected person can cause HIV transmission. Sharing a needle or “shooting drugs” with someone who’s infected can HIV transmission. Being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an HIV infected woman, which is called ‘mother-to-child’ transmission can cause HIV transmission. Fantasy, masturbation, or hand jobs where you keep your fluids to yourself are safe. There is no risk of transmitting HIV. Using alcohol or drugs before or during sex greatly increases the chances of acquiring HIV. If both people having sex are both infected, the disease may become more serious. Other sexually transmitted infections can be exposed.

BIG QUESTION! Can I get HIV from oral sex? No one knows exactly. There is still a risk of obtaining HIV from oral sex. There are some cases of HIV that have been acquired from oral sex. When performing oral sex on a man, include the use of latex condoms or withdrawal before ejaculation. Refrain from this activity when cuts/sores are present in the mouth. When performing oral sex on a woman, use moisture barriers such as a sheet of latex, a cut-open and flattened condom, or household plastic wrap to reduce the risk of exposure to vaginal secretions or blood.

Treatment/Prevention of HIV/AIDS Treatment – Antiretroviral drugs. People who have reached the advanced stages of HIV disease require a combination of antiretroviral drugs for their health. This treatment is normally taken every day for the rest of the HIV/AIDS victims’ life. When nursing or expecting a baby, these drugs help to prevent mother-to-child transmissions of the virus.

HIV HIV has spread all over the world, but more in some places than others For example the highest percentage of HIV is in South Africa, where they have more than 15 percent of the population infected with HIV AIDS. Its not just by chance why its this way. Countries that have a better medical system have less of the population infected, for example USA doesn’t have as much percent of the population infected than Africa does.

HIV Map

Bibliography information/what-is-aids/#anchor251 information/what-is-aids/safer-sex-guidelines information/what-is-aids/safer-sex-guidelines